BENGALURU:
State BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra on Tuesday accused the Congress party of treating the Scheduled Tribes (STs) merely as a vote bank since India’s independence.
Speaking at the BJP’s ST Morcha meeting held at the party’s state headquarters, Vijayendra said the Congress had failed to empower tribal communities either socially or economically. In contrast, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government for implementing various schemes to uplift the community and recognise tribal culture.
He highlighted Modi’s decision to declare November 15, the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda, as Janajatiya Gaurav Diwas (Tribal Pride Day), calling it a historic step towards honouring the contributions of tribals to India’s freedom struggle and cultural heritage.
Vijayendra also cited rising Union Budget allocations for tribal welfare — from ₹4,427.96 crore in 2014–15 to ₹14,925.81 crore in 2025–26 — describing them as the highest in India’s history.
“No government before Modi has invested so much in tribal development,” he said, adding that the Prime Minister is a leader “deeply rooted in India’s culture and committed to ensuring justice for every section of society.”
